Second Meeting of The Lancet Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Commission



 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Young people aged 10-24 years have a greater prominence in global health policy and international development than ever before. They constitute 30% of the world's population, the largest generation in history. Successful transitions through puberty to adult social roles set a foundation for future adult health. These issues were summarized in the 2012 The Lancet's Series on Adolescent Health, which highlighted key limitations in the global public health response. Whether adolescents provide a demographic dividend or become a lost generation depends on investments we make in their healthy development. Important has been lack of investment in technical and research infrastructure to support policy. There are substantial barriers to taking forward these policy initiatives in adolescent health. The most investments in adolescents. The Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing was established in 2013 to review adolescent health knowledge and its implications for policy and programming. It was established as an academic partnership with leadership from four leading Universities: University of Melbourne, Columbia University, University College London, and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. They assembled a Commission of 26 experts from 14 countries. These experts represent the diverse range of academic disciplines needed to reframe understanding of adolescent health. And wellbeing of adolescents and young adults in the global context with a view to identifying needs for. The overarching goal of the Commission is to produce a synthesis of current knowledge on the health future investment. The Commission is on schedule to finalize a report by October 2015, with an expected spring 2016 publication in The Lancet. This revised conference support proposal is requesting support for the primary academic launch of The Lancet Commission report in London in May 2016. If there is to be successful investments in adolescent health, there is urgent need to coordinate and accelerate research investment in global adolescent health, accompanied by appropriate technical and research support as will be outlined in the report. The nature of this investment would be a major focus of discussion for the academic launch. Given its broad focus on adolescent and young adult health, the Commission report will have importance to the work of multiple institutes at the NIH. The specific aims for this proposal are: Specific Aim 1: To present the final report of The Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing at an academic launch in London in 2016. Specific Aim 2: To convene a planning meeting following the academic launch to discuss the establishment of a "Living" Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing to continue the work of the Commission's report.